Reversible strut for brake-beams.



P. B. HARRISON.

REVERSIBLE STRUT FOR BRAKE BEAMS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.16, 1911.

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hllipBllarr isom u arn gy "L- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PHILIP B. HARRISON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CHICAGO RAILWAY EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.-

REVERSIBLE STRUT FOR BRAKE-BEAMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 16, 1911. Serial No. 660,740.

To all whom it may concern Be it knmvn that I, PHILIP B. HARRISON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement 'in Reversible Struts for Brake- Beams, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a brake beam showing my improved strut in position thereon for use in connection with a right hand brake lever. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing my improved strut lever in position to be used in connection with a left hand brake lever. Fig. 3 is a detailed side elevational View of my improved strut partly in section. Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of a modified construction. Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 4.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in reversible struts especially adapted for usein connection with brake beams, the object being to construct a strut whose ends are substantially alike and provided with seats for the compression and tension beam members respectively, whereby the strut is interchangeable end for end and may be used for either a right or left hand brake lever for inside and outside hung brakes.

My invention also contemplates means for fixedly securing the strut upon the compression member, which means is practically duplicated at each end of the strut, and incidentally to this securing means I also provide each end of the strut with a rubbing surface or projection which may be employed as an element of the thirdsuspension or support such as disclosed in the Kiesel Patent, No. 997,922, dated July 11th, 1911.

By the use of my invention it is possible for the makers of brake beams and their customers, such as railroads who wish to carry repair parts in their repair shops, to dispense with right and left hand struts, the iminufacturers economizing in the manufacture of these struts by the use of a single )attern where two patterns have heretoiore been required for right and left hand one piece struts.

strut, as shown in Fig. 2,

In the drawings: 1 indicates the compression member shown here as U-shapcd in cross section, although it is obvious that compression members of different cross sectional contour may be employed; 2 is the tension member here shown as a: round rod, although it is obvious that other forms ot tension members .may be employed; 3 is the strut, said strut being shown as having 'two pin holes A, but it is obvious that if desired a single pin hole may be employed at the center of the strut.

B is the slot through which the brake lever passes. This slot preferably does not extend throughout the length of the cylindrical portion of the strut, but terminates short of the ends thereof, so as to provide a solid cylindrical end portion integral with the strut ends or heads. The strutend walls (3 may be provided with openings as shown, in Fig. 3, for convenience in anchoring the cores or said ends may be solid, as desired.

D indicates a lug extendinglaterally from the strut end being provided with a bolt opening and a stop projection E as shown in Fig. 3. From the opposite side of the strut end extends a wall F shaped to receive the compression member, said wall F terminating in a lug G which is a companion to the lug D H indicates a stop projection which cooperates with the stop projection E.

I indicates an extension projecting from the wall F and into whose outer face is a hardened insert J, although the rubhing end of this projection may be integral with the wall F, if desired.

K is a seat for the tension member, which seat is widened near the end Wall of the so that when the legs of the compression member are seated on each side thereof, they will be wedged in position, and in this way assist in holding the strut on the compression member. In placing the strut in position on the compression member, the wall F is sprung out sufliciently far to enable the easy introduction of the compression member into the space provided therefor in the end of the strut, and with the strut in its intended position, the workman, preferably, by the blows of a hammer, drives the legs or flanges of the compression member into the wedge-shaped seats, and at the same time forces the wall F down into position,

Patented July 28, 1914.-

so that a bolt 4 may be passed through the lugs B and G, and by tightening the nut 5 thereof, draw the stop lugs E and H together and tightly clamp the strut on the compression member. In this position, as shown in Fig. 3, the third suspension member I is located above the compression member, while its companion at the diagonally opposite corner of the strut is located under the tension member. Of course, it is unnecessary to use the bolt 1 and nut 5 at the end of the strut which cooperates with the tension member, but these fastening devices are preferably provided for, in cases of emergency.

In Figs. 4 and 5, I have shown a modified form of my invention in which awedge key 6 is employed in alined openings through overlapping tongues L and M. In practice these tongues L and M which constitute the walls which embrace the compression member are spread apart slightly to permit the introduction of a compression member after which the compression member is driven to it's seat and the walls L and M drawn to gether by the wedge 6 so as to clamp and hold the compression member in its seat.

The two pin holes shown inthe drawings are employed to maintain the proper location of the lever pin relative to the face of the shoe when the strut is used for either a right or left hand brake lever. By this arrangement, when the strut is reversed, any wear in the pin holes will be compensated for. Y

What I claim is:

1. A one piece strut having tapering grooves for the legs of a compression member, the legs of said compression member being driven into said grooves.

2. A strut having seats for the tension and compression members at its end, the seat-for the tension member being located within the seat for the compression member and the seat for the compression member being so shaped as to provide tapering grooves into which the legs of the compression member are wedged.

3. A one piece reversible strut provided at each end with means for wedging the compression member in place, and a clamping member for holding the compression member in its wedged position.

4. A one piece reversible strut having walls at each end for embracing the compression member to clamp the same in position, and removable fastening devices at each end for holding said walls in their clamping positions.

5. A strut having t'hird suspension ele-' ments at each end.

6. A strut having third suspension elements at diagonally opposite corners.

7 A strut having a projection at its end, said projection having a hardened insert.

' 8. A strut having a projection at each end and hardened inserts in each of said projections.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 13th day of November, 1911.

PHILIP B. HARRISON.

' Witnesses:

Enw. T. WALKER, M. F. HUNTOON. 

